ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Riaz Hussain Pirzada on Friday said there are several sifarshis at the helm of affairs in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) who have ruined the popular game due to their injudicious ways.

Responding to a notice jointly moved by MNAs Khalida Mansoor and Surriya Asghar, the IPC minister who also oversees the country’s sports sector, said the report of former head coach stated that there are many safarshis in the PCB whose appointment could not be justified.

The MNAs had moved the notice to invite attention of the minister to a matter of urgent public importance regarding the poor performance of Pakistan cricket team during the recently concluded T20 World Cup. Speaking on the floor of house, the outspoken Pirzada agreed that greenshirts had disappointed the entire nation.

He, however, said that the bowlers performed well to some extent but the batsmen just could not live up to the expectations of people.

To a query of a lawmaker, the minister agreed that former cricketers should be at the top position at the PCB which should not allow politics to creep into its affairs. “Changes are being made at the Board now, if national team will not deliver in accordance with the wishes of people, then it has to face the music,” he said.

It is relevant to note here that the PCB is facing heavy criticism after the poor performance of the national team in Asia Cup and the World T20. Recently, former captain Imran Khan also urged for bringing improvement at country’s domestic cricket structure and stated that without bringing changes at domestic level there will be no significant improvement in Pakistan’s international performance.

On the floor of the house, the minister said that after taking the charge as minister IPC a couple of years back, he had moved a summary to the prime minister recommending the name of former Test cricketer Majid Khan as PCB chairman but no decision has been taken on it.

Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2016